An image generating apparatus of the present invention has a determination unit that sets a target area in a part of an area inside a subject, executes processing to adjust a phase of each detection signal based on a distance from each detection element to a target area and a tentative velocity, and calculate dispersion of intensities of a plurality of detection signals of which phases are adjusted, for a plurality of tentative velocities, and determines a velocity for which dispersion of intensities is minimum, out of the plurality of tentative velocities, as a propagation velocity.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. An apparatus for generating a photoacoustic image based on an acoustic wave caused by irradiation of light on an object, comprising: a determination unit configured to determine a propagation velocity of the acoustic wave; and an image generation unit configured to generate the photoacoustic image based on the propagation velocity and a signal obtained by detecting the acoustic wave; wherein the determination unit is configured to set, based on an ultrasonic image obtained by transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave, a target position, and determine, based on the signal corresponding to the target position, the propagation velocity.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determination unit is configured to set the target position based on an instruction from a user for the ultrasonic image.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the determination unit is configured to set a target area including the target position selected by the user in the ultrasonic image, and determine the propagation velocity based on a signal corresponding to the target area from among a plurality of the signals.
4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the determination unit is configured to set, as the target area, an area in a range of a predetermined number of pixels or voxels from the target position.
5. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the image generation unit is configured to generate the photoacoustic image on the target area.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determination unit is configured to set the target position by analyzing the ultrasonic image.
7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the determination unit is configured to set the target position based on a luminance value of the ultrasonic image.
8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the determination unit is configured to set, as the target position, a position having the highest luminance value in the ultrasonic image.
9. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the determination unit is configured to set the target position based on contrast in the ultrasonic image.
10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , the determination unit is configured to set, as the target position, a position having the highest contrast in the ultrasonic image.
11. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the determination unit is configured to set, as the target position, a position including a blood vessel in the ultrasonic image.
12. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the determination unit is configured to set a target area including the target position, and determine the propagation velocity based on a signal corresponding to the target area from among a plurality of the signals.
13. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determination unit is configured to set a tentative propagation velocity, and determine a signal corresponding to the target position from among a plurality of the signals based on a distance from a detection position of the acoustic wave to the target position and the tentative propagation velocity.
14. The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the determination unit is configured to execute a process of determining the signal corresponding to the target position based on the distance from the detection position of the acoustic wave to the target position and the tentative propagation velocity, for a plurality of the tentative propagation velocities, and determine the propagation velocity based on a plurality of the signals corresponding to the plurality of the tentative propagation velocities.
15. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a light irradiation unit configured to irradiate the object with the light; and an acoustic wave detection unit configured to output the signal by detecting the acoustic wave.
16. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the light irradiation unit includes a semiconductor laser or a light emitting diode.
17. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image generation unit is configured to generate the photoacoustic image as three-dimensional volume data.
18. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determination unit is configured to set the target position based on the ultrasonic image which is two-dimensional pixel data.
19. An image generating method for generating a photoacoustic image based on an acoustic wave caused by irradiation of light on an object, comprising: a setting step of setting, based on an ultrasonic image obtained by transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave, a target position; a determination step of determining, based on a signal corresponding to the target position from among a plurality of signals which have been obtained by receiving a plurality of the acoustic wave, a propagation velocity of the acoustic wave; and a generating step of generating the photoacoustic image based on the signal and the propagation velocity.
20. The image generating method according to claim 19 , wherein, in the determination step, the target position is set based on an instruction from an user for the ultrasonic image.
21. The image generating method according to claim 20 , wherein, in the determination step, an area including the target position selected by an user in the ultrasonic image is set as a target area, and the propagation velocity is determined based on a signal corresponding to the target area from among the plurality of the signals.
22. The image generating method according to claim 21 , wherein, in the determination step, an area in a range of a predetermined number of pixels or voxels from the target position is set as the target area.
23. The image generating method according to claim 21 , wherein, in the generating step, the photoacoustic image on the target area is generated.
24. The image generating method according to claim 19 , wherein, in the setting step, the target position is set by analyzing the ultrasonic image.
25. The image generating method according to claim 24 , wherein, in the setting step, the target position is set based on a luminance value of the ultrasonic image.
26. The image generating method according to claim 25 , wherein, in the setting step, a position having the highest luminance value in the ultrasonic image is set as the target position.
27. The image generating method according to claim 24 , wherein, in the setting step, the target position is set based on contrast in the ultrasonic image.
28. The image generating method according to claim 27 , wherein, in the setting step, a position having the highest contrast in the ultrasonic image is set as the target position.
29. The image generating method according to claim 24 , wherein, in the setting step, a position including a blood vessel in the ultrasonic image is set as the target position.
30. The image generating method according to claim 24 , wherein, in the determination step, a target area including the target position is set, and the propagation velocity is determined based on a signal corresponding to the target area from among a plurality of the signals.
31. The image generating method according to claim 19 , wherein, in the determination step, a tentative propagation velocity of the acoustic wave is set, and a signal corresponding to the target position is determined from among a plurality of the signals based on a distance from a detection position of the acoustic wave to the target position and the tentative velocity.
32. The image generating method according to claim 31 , wherein, in the determination step, a process of determining the signal corresponding to the target position based on the distance from the detection position of the acoustic wave to the target position and the tentative propagation velocity is executed for a plurality of the tentative propagation velocities, and the propagation velocity is determined based on a plurality of the signals corresponding to the plurality of the tentative propagation velocities.
33. The image generating method according to claim 19 , wherein, in the generating step, the photoacoustic image is generated as three-dimensional volume data.
34. The image generating method according to claim 19 , wherein, in the determination step, the target position is set based on the ultrasonic image which is two-dimensional pixel data.
35. A non-transitory computer readable medium recording a program for causing a computer to perform each steps of the image generating method according to claim 19 .
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
November 28, 2016
November 27, 2018
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